LESSON 5-Ephesians
Chapter 4
BEING THE CHURCH OF CHRIST
Ephesians 4:1-32
Eph.4:25 Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another.
4:25 Faking it and lying to one another was part of the old life; now speak always only that which truth inspires to your fellowman. We are related to one another like different parts in the same body, (cheating him would be cheating yourself!) Mirror Translation
When Christians try to deceive one another, they break the bonds of royal family, love, and fellowship. We belong together as members of one body, so we must be completely honest and open with one another. “Lying is a great hindrance to the proper functioning of the body. When members are open and truthful, the body will work in harmony and therefore efficiently. Without openness and truth, there can only be disunity, disorder, and trouble.”
Eph.4:26 “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath,27 nor give place to the devil.28 Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.
4:26 Even if you think you have a valid excuse, do not let anger dominate your day! If you don’t deal with it immediately (in the light of the likeness of Christ in you) the sun sets for you and your day becomes one of lost opportunity where darkness employs anger to snare you into sin. Mirror Translation
Characteristics of Sinful Anger
1. Anger is sin from the soulish nature. Gal. 5:19-21, “Now the deeds of the flesh [soul/sense nature] are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these…”
2. Anger is related to foolishness. Eccl. 7:9, “Do not be quick to be angry in your heart, for anger resides in the bosom of fools.” The Bible defines a fool as a person without wisdom. He may be a genius, but his thinking is from human viewpoint. He thinks and acts apart from God’s standards and controls. The paramount fool (and the beginning of foolishness) is the person who has “said in his heart, There is no God.” Look at Romans 1:18-31 for a detailed description of the results of deliberately turning away from God. A fool is on a rapid downward slide towards destruction, both in this life and the one to come. In the list of terrible sins which characterize the ungodly are several which are either causes or results of anger.
3. Anger is associated with grieving the Holy Spirit, Spirit of Christ. Eph. 4:30-31, “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” Notice the contrast here between conditions of anger and the results of impersonal love.
4. Anger is a violation of the Christian’s code of conduct as a member of the Body of Christ. Col. 3:8,9, “But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, {and} abusive speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its {evil} practices”
5. Anger hinders effective prayer. 1 Tim. 2:8, “Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension.”
6. Anger is always accompanied by other sins. Prov. 29:22, “An angry person stirs up strife, and a hot-tempered person abounds in transgression.” Anger promotes the sins of gossip, self-righteous judging, maligning, revenge, complaining, bitterness, and many others. Heb. 12:15, “See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled.”
7. Anger makes a person his own worst enemy; he brings misery upon himself. Prov. 22:8, “He who sows iniquity will reap vanity, And the rod of his fury will perish.”
Unhappiness comes from many sources: failure to be occupied with Christ, failure to maintain a relaxed mental attitude, failure to be controlled by the Holy Spirit, thus, failure to grow in Christ. Lack of growth means lack of joy, lack of love, lack of divine viewpoint.
8. Anger promotes jealousy and cruelty. Prov. 27:4. 9. Anger causes misery for loved ones, friends, and community. Anger destroys a nation. Prov. 21:19; 22:24; 24:25; 29:22. Amos 1:11, “Thus says the Lord, “For three transgressions of Edom and for four I will not revoke its {punishment}, Because he pursued his brother with the sword, While he stifled his compassion; His anger also tore continually, and he maintained his fury forever.”
How does anger start?
Ephesians 4:27 nor give [a]place to the devil.
4:27 Any sin that you tolerate is an open invitation to the devil. Do not give him a platform to operate from. Mirror Translation
In Ephesians 4:27, the apostle Paul writes, “Neither give place to the devil.” The word “place” is the Greek word topos. It refers to a specific, marked-off, geographical location. It carries the idea of a territory, province, region, zone, or geographical position. It is from this word that we get the word for a topographical map. Because the word topos depicts a geographical location, this lets us know that the devil is after every region and zone of our lives — money, health, marriage, relationships, employment, business, and ministry. He is so territorial that he wants it all. But to start his campaign to conquer all those areas of our lives, he must first find an entry point from which he can begin his campaign of unleashing his devilish destruction in our lives.
How does it all start? It starts through giving place to the enemy through our mind, our thoughts, then words, then deeds.
We often throw open the door to the devil when we:
• Refuse to let go of old hurts and wounds.
• Refuse to acknowledge what we did wrong.
• Refuse to forgive others for what they did.
• Refuse to stop judging others for their grievances.
• Refuse to admit we were wrong too.
• Refuse to say, “I’m sorry” when we’re wrong.
• Refuse to lay down our “rights” for others.
Ephesians 4:28 Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.
4:28 If you were a thief before, you are one no more. Find an honest job where the fruit of your labor can be a blessing to others! Mirror Translation
Let him steal no longer and work to help others:
Paul in Eph. 4:28 then gives two positive changes to the Ephesians in this area. First, the practical answer for the thief is fairly straightforward: work and earn, don’t steal. Second, Paul specifies that “theft” involves more than just taking physical objects from others. Work done ought to be “honest.” Those who were dishonest swindlers were just as much “thieves” as those who swiped fruit from open baskets. The former thief was to no longer lie or manipulate others, but personally work to provide for his own needs and the needs of others.
We never talk about the negative unless we present the positive.
Opposites:
Lie – Truth
Anger – Love
Stealing – Faith
All sin is mistaken identity. We think we are still living in the soulish/sense realm. All sin’s root is doubt and unbelief.
Examples:
If we lie, we really don’t believe the truth. If we are angry then we really don’t believe God is Love and We are Love. If we steal, then we really don’t believe God can supply all our needs.
FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT VS FRUIT OF THE CARNAL/SENSE/SOULISH NATURE
Love – Lust
Joy- Grief/Sorrow
Peace- Strife
Long suffering- Impatience
Kindness- Cruelty
Goodness – Evil
Faithfulness- Unfaithfulness/Deceitful
Gentleness- Rash/ Rage
Self-Control- Anger
We will continue with Lesson 6 next week.
The blessings of the Lord are upon you whether by blood, adoption/sonship or assignment. The blessing of the LORD makes a person rich, and he adds no sorrow with it. Prov. 10:22
David & Mary Sue